Kids Lunch Ideas? Not HT, or is it....

I posted this in the recipe exchange as well, but I know the HT ladies have shared some wonderful recipes from time to time.

I realized today my boys, 5 and 7, are looking to me for lunch EVERY DAY now that school is out, lol. I am at a complete loss as to what to feed them! It needs to be quick and east since I also have an 11 month old and I cook a decent dinner. Other than mac and cheese and pizza, what else can I whip up for them (freezer friendly is also great!). TIA

I posted this in the recipe exchange as well, but I know the HT ladies have shared some wonderful recipes from time to time.

I realized today my boys, 5 and 7, are looking to me for lunch EVERY DAY now that school is out, lol. I am at a complete loss as to what to feed them! It needs to be quick and east since I also have an 11 month old and I cook a decent dinner. Other than mac and cheese and pizza, what else can I whip up for them (freezer friendly is also great!). TIA

I have a daycare and we do chicken nuggets, hot dogs, grilled cheese, Mac and cheese, spaghetti, pizza, eggs, and sandwiches. I always serve those with a veggie, fruit and a cup of milk. For a really easy day it's yogurt, baby carrots, grapes or banana and cheese.

I have a daycare and we do chicken nuggets, hot dogs, grilled cheese, Mac and cheese, spaghetti, pizza, eggs, and sandwiches. I always serve those with a veggie, fruit and a cup of milk. For a really easy day it's yogurt, baby carrots, grapes or banana and cheese.

I'm a stay athome mom with two kids. I LOVE quick & easy lol. Breakfast is usually scrambled eggs, 2-3 cubes ham & some fresh fruit. Other good choices r toast, pop tarts. Good lunches r easy. I get chicken nuggets. They have different flavors to switch it up. They have veggies in plastic cups now with single servings. I warm that up. And I get the Mac n cheese cups so I cam just throw them
In the microwave. I also do hot pockets, frozen pizza, they have frozen stir fry too. I LOVE frozen things lol. Dinners r usually hamburger helpers, complete meals in a box or I will throw some chicken or pork chops in the oven. Grilled cheese is another favorite. Definetly invest in frozen veggies. U can use just enough and save the rest. I try to include meat, veggies and breads in lunch & dinner. GL!

I'm a stay athome mom with two kids. I LOVE quick & easy lol. Breakfast is usually scrambled eggs, 2-3 cubes ham & some fresh fruit. Other good choices r toast, pop tarts. Good lunches r easy. I get chicken nuggets. They have different flavors to switch it up. They have veggies in plastic cups now with single servings. I warm that up. And I get the Mac n cheese cups so I cam just throw them
In the microwave. I also do hot pockets, frozen pizza, they have frozen stir fry too. I LOVE frozen things lol. Dinners r usually hamburger helpers, complete meals in a box or I will throw some chicken or pork chops in the oven. Grilled cheese is another favorite. Definetly invest in frozen veggies. U can use just enough and save the rest. I try to include meat, veggies and breads in lunch & dinner. GL!

We do soup and grilled cheese, leftovers from dinner, quesadillas, pasta and salad, a turkey sandwich and homemade french fries, salad with cooked chicken and shredded cheddar cheese or just good old pb and jelly or bananas.Â

Sometimes we'll do a snack lunch where we do crackers and that soft parm cheese with a cow on the package (blanking on the name), cut up fruits, and carrots or cucumbers.

Once a week I give them cupcakes, but it's a special occasion because I love Thursdays. /jokingÂ

We do soup and grilled cheese, leftovers from dinner, quesadillas, pasta and salad, a turkey sandwich and homemade french fries, salad with cooked chicken and shredded cheddar cheese or just good old pb and jelly or bananas.Â

Sometimes we'll do a snack lunch where we do crackers and that soft parm cheese with a cow on the package (blanking on the name), cut up fruits, and carrots or cucumbers.

Once a week I give them cupcakes, but it's a special occasion because I love Thursdays. /jokingÂ

"Look, there's no debating that the holy book of the majority should
dictate all the secular laws for everyone else. That's just common sense
until your side isn't winning. The Bible states in Genesis that
marriage is between a man and his mutated rib, which is as painful as it
sounds, but at least the Constitution allows it".

Grilled peanut butter and banana is fantastic, but it can get messy if you put too much peanut butter. Sunshine sandwiches are also delicious. Use a cookie cutter or cup to cut a hole in a slice of bread and put it on the hot skillet. Then crack an egg in the middle. Then flip it over and leave the yolk intact for a runny egg. We cut ours into quarters with a pizza cutter so its easier to eat. Cook the piece from the middle of the bread on the skillet too, so its basically like toast. Really good with jam or honey or whatever. Salads are also really easy for lunch. Keep some chicken on hand to put in the salad and boil an egg for it, maybe throw in some cheese. I'm a salad lover, and I like a ton of different stuff in it. If your kids don't eat it with meat and veggies, etc. its probably not such a great choice because it won't have enough substance to keep them full.

Grilled peanut butter and banana is fantastic, but it can get messy if you put too much peanut butter. Sunshine sandwiches are also delicious. Use a cookie cutter or cup to cut a hole in a slice of bread and put it on the hot skillet. Then crack an egg in the middle. Then flip it over and leave the yolk intact for a runny egg. We cut ours into quarters with a pizza cutter so its easier to eat. Cook the piece from the middle of the bread on the skillet too, so its basically like toast. Really good with jam or honey or whatever. Salads are also really easy for lunch. Keep some chicken on hand to put in the salad and boil an egg for it, maybe throw in some cheese. I'm a salad lover, and I like a ton of different stuff in it. If your kids don't eat it with meat and veggies, etc. its probably not such a great choice because it won't have enough substance to keep them full.

We eat yogurt, eggs, tuna salad, muffins, cut up veggies, fruit, cheese, toast and occasionally dinner leftovers. We keep the lunch things prepped in the fridge so they are ready to go when we are. I prep veg/fruit once a week.

Lunch has a starch (whole grain) a protein (yogurt, cheese or meat) and a veg. If she is still hungry, she can have a fruit. I usually just arrange it on the plate in a fun shape, she doesn't really eat sandwiches or anything. For a treat we might have pancakes or a waffle with fruit.

We don't eat processed foods like pizza pockets or anything.

Someone posted a great website once about kids lunches, it was weelicious.com Â We get a lot of ideas from there.Â

The garden is starting to take off too, so we will be using out fresh stuff soon, can't wait!Â

We eat yogurt, eggs, tuna salad, muffins, cut up veggies, fruit, cheese, toast and occasionally dinner leftovers. We keep the lunch things prepped in the fridge so they are ready to go when we are. I prep veg/fruit once a week.

Lunch has a starch (whole grain) a protein (yogurt, cheese or meat) and a veg. If she is still hungry, she can have a fruit. I usually just arrange it on the plate in a fun shape, she doesn't really eat sandwiches or anything. For a treat we might have pancakes or a waffle with fruit.

We don't eat processed foods like pizza pockets or anything.

Someone posted a great website once about kids lunches, it was weelicious.com Â We get a lot of ideas from there.Â

The garden is starting to take off too, so we will be using out fresh stuff soon, can't wait!Â

Those food choices, like Hamburger Helper, the boxed complete meals, poptarts... those are REALLY not good for you. They are FULL of sodium, bad carbs, calories... ICKY ICKY stuff. Not good at all.

If you guys really like Hamburger Helper, its really just as easy to brown up some ground turkey, boil some wheat noodles and sprinkle in some shredded cheese.

If you want a quick, easy breakfast make whole wheat french toast and fresh fruit. If all your meals come from a box or are frozen, you are losing a lot of the nutritional value, if there was any to start with.

As far as what we do for quick easy stuff here, we do a lot of crock pot dishes, because after the prep, there is not much to do. We eat a lot of FRESH veggies and fruit. Whole grain bread, lean meats, EVOO instead of butter, stuff like that.

That is exactly how my parents fed us when we were growing up!

And now I'm fat.

Those food choices, like Hamburger Helper, the boxed complete meals, poptarts... those are REALLY not good for you. They are FULL of sodium, bad carbs, calories... ICKY ICKY stuff. Not good at all.

If you guys really like Hamburger Helper, its really just as easy to brown up some ground turkey, boil some wheat noodles and sprinkle in some shredded cheese.

If you want a quick, easy breakfast make whole wheat french toast and fresh fruit. If all your meals come from a box or are frozen, you are losing a lot of the nutritional value, if there was any to start with.

As far as what we do for quick easy stuff here, we do a lot of crock pot dishes, because after the prep, there is not much to do. We eat a lot of FRESH veggies and fruit. Whole grain bread, lean meats, EVOO instead of butter, stuff like that.

Please tell me that you were not serious when you said poptarts, chicken nuggets, plastic cups of veggies, mac n cheese cups, hot pockets, frozen pizza, "complete meals in a box" and hamburger helper are "good" lunches and dinners.

The ONLY things in your list that I will feed my child are scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, toast and frozen vegetables. And, for the record, all meats and produce are chosen as fresh as possible and breads are whole grain. An example, hamburger night in our house involves organic beef patties grilled on the barbeque, placed on a lightly toasted whole wheat or multigrain hamburger bun with some shredded extra old cheddar melted on the patty. She will then have a side of sliced cucumbers and peppers.

To the original OP, some great choices for quick and easy lunches include wraps, sliced fresh veggies and cheese, healthy sandwiches, soups (espeically if homemade) and pastas with a tomato based sauce. Another favourite in our house - sliced up avacado, some whole grain bread and some leftover chicken in the fridge. Stirfrys are also quick and easy although we tend to save them for dinner time.

Please tell me that you were not serious when you said poptarts, chicken nuggets, plastic cups of veggies, mac n cheese cups, hot pockets, frozen pizza, "complete meals in a box" and hamburger helper are "good" lunches and dinners.

The ONLY things in your list that I will feed my child are scrambled eggs, fresh fruit, toast and frozen vegetables. And, for the record, all meats and produce are chosen as fresh as possible and breads are whole grain. An example, hamburger night in our house involves organic beef patties grilled on the barbeque, placed on a lightly toasted whole wheat or multigrain hamburger bun with some shredded extra old cheddar melted on the patty. She will then have a side of sliced cucumbers and peppers.

To the original OP, some great choices for quick and easy lunches include wraps, sliced fresh veggies and cheese, healthy sandwiches, soups (espeically if homemade) and pastas with a tomato based sauce. Another favourite in our house - sliced up avacado, some whole grain bread and some leftover chicken in the fridge. Stirfrys are also quick and easy although we tend to save them for dinner time.

Those types of foods are great and handy- but shouldn't be the primary part of anyone's diets. Â It's part of what contributes to the obesityÂ epidemicÂ in this nation! Â All those processed chemicals that keep the food "on the shelf" for so long are going into your system and your kids systems.

Using them as a back up or if you're in a crunch is a better option than relying on them (especially hamburger helpers- they are 90% sodium!!) as a diet staple.

Quick and easy does not always translate to quick, easy and healthy (or responsible).

Where is the nutrition in ANY of what you're serving your kids?

Those types of foods are great and handy- but shouldn't be the primary part of anyone's diets. Â It's part of what contributes to the obesityÂ epidemicÂ in this nation! Â All those processed chemicals that keep the food "on the shelf" for so long are going into your system and your kids systems.

Using them as a back up or if you're in a crunch is a better option than relying on them (especially hamburger helpers- they are 90% sodium!!) as a diet staple.

Quick and easy does not always translate to quick, easy and healthy (or responsible).

My daughters favorite lunch is an assortment of food that can be dipped into something such as pieces of whole wheat bread or pita, raw veggies, fruit, and cheese. And for the dips; hummus, taziki (not sure on the spelling) sauce, yogurt, peanut butter, almond butter, or salad dressing. I just cut up the fruit and veg at night and put it in kid portioned size containers so I just have to add the dip when it's ready to serve.

My daughters favorite lunch is an assortment of food that can be dipped into something such as pieces of whole wheat bread or pita, raw veggies, fruit, and cheese. And for the dips; hummus, taziki (not sure on the spelling) sauce, yogurt, peanut butter, almond butter, or salad dressing. I just cut up the fruit and veg at night and put it in kid portioned size containers so I just have to add the dip when it's ready to serve.

I'm really shocked at the food choices on offer here, maybe its cos I'm from the uk? But WOW! Surely it's easier to throw together a Salad or sandwich than cook a frozen meal? There are so many healthier, quicker options, you just need to get outside of the convenience food mindset. Meal examples in my house - breakfast, cereal, toast, fruit, yoghurt. Lunch, jacket potato with tuna or beans, salad sticks with dip, soup, sandwich, fruit. Dinner, cottage pie, spaghetti Bol, curry, fajitas, all with plenty of veg with a yoghurt or fruit for dessert apart from Fridays when we have a proper dessert.

I'm really shocked at the food choices on offer here, maybe its cos I'm from the uk? But WOW! Surely it's easier to throw together a Salad or sandwich than cook a frozen meal? There are so many healthier, quicker options, you just need to get outside of the convenience food mindset. Meal examples in my house - breakfast, cereal, toast, fruit, yoghurt. Lunch, jacket potato with tuna or beans, salad sticks with dip, soup, sandwich, fruit. Dinner, cottage pie, spaghetti Bol, curry, fajitas, all with plenty of veg with a yoghurt or fruit for dessert apart from Fridays when we have a proper dessert.

It's what I was fed my whole life and I'm skinny. I don't work out. We r not health nuts. And we eat what we like. My children r healthy weight too. There are different things that work for different families. And that's what works for us. Over feeding and fatty foods cause obesity. My children eat 3 meals a day and a snack between lunch & dinner. It's what works for us. My family don't struggle with our weight and we eat what we want. Just because we eat beef, pork, ham, veggies in a single serving cup, starches and white bread don't mean we will b fat. So yes that's how we eat at my house and we r all perfect weight. To each their own I suppose

It's what I was fed my whole life and I'm skinny. I don't work out. We r not health nuts. And we eat what we like. My children r healthy weight too. There are different things that work for different families. And that's what works for us. Over feeding and fatty foods cause obesity. My children eat 3 meals a day and a snack between lunch & dinner. It's what works for us. My family don't struggle with our weight and we eat what we want. Just because we eat beef, pork, ham, veggies in a single serving cup, starches and white bread don't mean we will b fat. So yes that's how we eat at my house and we r all perfect weight. To each their own I suppose

Do you realize there is more to health than just weight? That much sodium is setting up big problems with your families hearts as well as all the other trash in those meals.

I do understand that they are somewhat easy in the sense you don't need to think to make them. I admit I tend to eat more of them than I should. But I've really tried to cut back ever since having my son and watching members of my family have heart attacks and blood pressure problems even though they never spent a day of their lives overweight.

I don't think people are trying to pick on you. We are just shocked that someone would rely on so much processed food.

In case you never looked at the nutrition box on the Hot Pocket Box here is a basic breakdown of each type. The one with the least amount of sodium is still 590 mg. That's almost half of the daily intake for a child 4-8 years old. http://www.fitsugar.com/Hot-Lean-Pockets-Breakdown-229442

Add some Hamburger Helper for dinner for an extra 840 mg per serving. How many servings do you realistically get out of a box? It's supposed to give you 5 servings. Anytime I've used it I'm lucky to get 3 dinner plates from it.

I know it takes effort but I really do recommend finding some easy and quick recipes to work with that focus less on boxed meals. You'd be shocked when a little bit of work is a whole lot cheaper, takes the same amount of time, gives you more food and even tastes better. It's worth it. I learned that the hard way too. You'll be helping your children's hearts and arteries out as well as their parents. Healthy hearts = longer lives.

Do you realize there is more to health than just weight? That much sodium is setting up big problems with your families hearts as well as all the other trash in those meals.

I do understand that they are somewhat easy in the sense you don't need to think to make them. I admit I tend to eat more of them than I should. But I've really tried to cut back ever since having my son and watching members of my family have heart attacks and blood pressure problems even though they never spent a day of their lives overweight.

I don't think people are trying to pick on you. We are just shocked that someone would rely on so much processed food.

In case you never looked at the nutrition box on the Hot Pocket Box here is a basic breakdown of each type. The one with the least amount of sodium is still 590 mg. That's almost half of the daily intake for a child 4-8 years old. http://www.fitsugar.com/Hot-Lean-Pockets-Breakdown-229442

Add some Hamburger Helper for dinner for an extra 840 mg per serving. How many servings do you realistically get out of a box? It's supposed to give you 5 servings. Anytime I've used it I'm lucky to get 3 dinner plates from it.

I know it takes effort but I really do recommend finding some easy and quick recipes to work with that focus less on boxed meals. You'd be shocked when a little bit of work is a whole lot cheaper, takes the same amount of time, gives you more food and even tastes better. It's worth it. I learned that the hard way too. You'll be helping your children's hearts and arteries out as well as their parents. Healthy hearts = longer lives.

I don't feel picked on or attacked. People choose different lifestyles. My kids and i eat gumbo & French fries, corn bread, sausage, alligator, fried okrA, mustard greens, potatoes, ect ect. That's what we do. We r outside every day playing in the yard, swimming in the lake and having bbq's. It's how we live and we love it. Just because I said hot pocket, hamburger helper ect ect don't mean thts every meal every night. But yes. Thy r in our diet. The OP asked for quick & easy. That's what I gave.

I don't feel picked on or attacked. People choose different lifestyles. My kids and i eat gumbo & French fries, corn bread, sausage, alligator, fried okrA, mustard greens, potatoes, ect ect. That's what we do. We r outside every day playing in the yard, swimming in the lake and having bbq's. It's how we live and we love it. Just because I said hot pocket, hamburger helper ect ect don't mean thts every meal every night. But yes. Thy r in our diet. The OP asked for quick & easy. That's what I gave.

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